Receiving instrument for printing-telegraph systems.



No. 765,978. PATENTED JULY 26,- 1904.

' W. R. LANDPEAR. RECEIVING INSTRUMENT FOB. PRINTING TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 17. 1903. NO MODEL.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

No 765,978. PATENTED JULY 26, 1904 W. R. LANDFEAR. RECEIVING INSTRUMENT FOE PRINTING TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1903.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

I III ll/fib fiai cw, 1mm

PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

W. R. LANDEEAR. RECEIVING INSTRUMENT FOR PRINTING TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILE-D SEPT. 17. 1903.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

W. R. LANDPEAR. RECEIVING INSTRUMENT FOR PRINTING TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

A A of Fig. 2 looking toward the left.

"UNITED STATES PATENT Patented July 26, 1904;.

FFICE.

WILLIAM R. LANDFEAR. OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,978, dated July 26, 1904.

Application filed September 1'7, 1903. Serial No. 173,541. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NILLIAM R. LANDFEAR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and use ful Receiving Instrument for Printing-Telegraph Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the receiving instrument of a printing-telegraph system, with the object in View of simplifying the structure and rendering it prompt, accurate, and durable. I v

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of the receiver in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section in the plane of the line Fig. 4c is a partial vertical longitudinal section in the plane of the line B B of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse section in the plane of the line C C of Fig. 4 looking toward the left. Fig. 6 is a transverse section in the plane of the line D D of Fig. 1 looking toward the left. Fig. 7 is a view in detail of the main escapement looking toward the right. Fig. 8 is a transverse section in the plane of the line E E of Fig. 2 looking toward the right. Fig. 9 is a view in detail of the paper-feed escapement. Fig. 10 shows, on an enlarged scale, the fulcrum-pin carried by the printing-wheel shaft and the means for connecting it with the shaft, the said connection being shown in longitudinal and transverse section; and Fig. 11 shows in detail in longitudinal section the frictionclutch employed in connecting the drive-shaft with the several shafts driven thereby.

The frame of the receiver may be of any suitable construction to suit the requirements of the several parts and consists in the present instance of a base-plate 1, supported upon legs 2 and provided with uprising brackets 3, 1, and 5, the brackets 3 and 4: extending transversely across the base-plate 1 and the bracket 5 being intermediate and both shorter and narrower than the others.

The main drive-shaft is denoted by 6. It is mounted vertically in suitable bearings in the base-plate 1 in a horizontal bracket 7,

fixed to the bracket 3, and at its upper end in a horizontal bracket 8, also fixed t0 the bracket 3. It is'constantly driven by a motorfor example, an electric motor, (indicated at 9.)

The drive-shaft 6 carries a bevel-gear l0, frictionally engaged with the shaft 6 by a spiral spring-clutch 11, which permits the shaft 6 to rotate, while the gear 10 is held against rotation by the pinion 12 on the shaft 13, but which tends to rotate the pinion 12, and hence the shaft 13, whenever the latter is released.

The shaft 13 is mounted in suitable bearings in the brackets 3 and 5 and is for convenience termed the cam-shaft. The cams carried by it, in connection with suitable coacting mechanism, impart to the printing- Wheel a step-by-step movement along the line to be printed, throw the printing-platen toward the printing-wheel to print, release the printing-Wheel and permit it to return to print a new line, and release the paper-feed shaft to permit it to feed the paper the space for a succeeding line.

The shaft 13 carries an escapement-wheel 14, engaged by an escapement-lever 15, fulcrumed on a rod 16, supported in the brackets. 3 and 5 and operated by an electromagnet 17, in circuit with the polarized magnet 18, which operates .the type-wheel, and of such resistance that it will operate the escapement only when the polarized magnet has completed its work of bringing the proper letter into printing position, as is usual in machines of this type.

The type-Wheel is denoted by 19. It is mounted on a rotary shaft 20 in such a manner that it may slide along the shaft while caused to rotate with the shaft, the connec tion being the ordinary feather-and-groove connection.

The type-wheel shaft 20 is mounted in suitable bearings in the brackets 3 and 4 and is under constant pressure tending to rotate it because of the frictional clutch 21 of the spiral-spring type, (see Fig. 11,) which connects it with a bevel gear-pinion 22, in mesh with a bevel gear-wheel 23 on the drive-shaft 6. The rotary motion of the said type-wheel shaft 20 is controlled by an escapement wheel and lever 24 25, the latter operated by the polarized magnet 18 under the control of the sending instrument (not shown) and which forms no part of my present invention.

The type-wheel 19 is moved step by step along the shaft 20 by means of a frame 26, which straddles the wheel on the shaft 20 and extends downwardly to and embraces a guide-rod 27, along which it freely slides.

The foot of the frame 26 carries a pair of pawls (denoted by 28 29) independently pivoted to drop into engagement with ratchettoothed bars 30 and 31, respectively. (See Fig. One of the ratchet-toothed bars, 30, is permitted a longitudinally reciprocating movement the distance of one tooth on the bars and is operated by a cam 32, carried by the shaft 13. The cam 32 has two projections on its face diametrically opposite, so that it operates a hinged arm 33 twice during one revolution of the shaft 13. The arm 33 (see Fig. is connected at its upper end with the ratchet-toothed bar 30 by a pin 34, so that when the arm is forced to rock by one of the cam projections on the cam 32 it will carry the bar 30 with it. A spring 35, secured at one end to the arm 33 and at the opposite end to the bracket 3, serves to retract the arm 33, and hence the bar 30, when a cam projection on the cam 32 has passed out of engagement with the arm. Thus when the shaft 13 is re leased by the escapeinent 14 and allowed to rotate a half-revolution it will, through the cam 32, arm 33, and pin 34, move the bar horizontally and by the engagement of the pawl 28 therewith will slide the type-wheel 19 one step along the shaft 20, at the same time dragging the pawl 29 over one tooth on the bar 31 into position to retain the type-wh eel in position, while the bar 30 is returned to its normal position under the influence of the spring 35, the pawl 28 sliding freely over a tooth on the bar 30 during the return movement of the latter.

A cam 36 on the shaft 13 swings the platen 37, over which the continuous sheet 38 of paper passes, toward the type-wheel to force the paper into engagement with the type, as follows: The cam 36 has two projections 39 40, located diametrically opposite on its periphcry to operate the platen twice each revolution of the shaft 13 to correspond with the setting of the type-wheel and its step-by-step movement, as hereinabove described. The projections 39 40 on the cam engage an arm 41, fixed to a rock-shaft 42, journaled in suitable bearings in the brackets 3 and 4, and in turn carrying-arms 43 44, in the free ends of which the platen 37 is fixed. The platen'37 is retracted by a spring 45, connected at one end to the bracket 4 and at its opposite end to the arm 44, and the back throw of the platen is limited and adjusted by means of a setscrew 46, engaged in a post 47, projecting from the inner face of the bracket 4, the said set-screw being in position to form a stop for the arm 44. The paper 38 is forced against the type on the type-wheel through an opening in a thin metal guard 48, carried by the frame 26, and an inking-roller 49 is also carried in arms 50 51, fixed to the frame 26 in position to supply ink to the type on the type wheel. The paper 38 is fed from a supplyroll 52 between a set of guide-rolls 53 54 and a set of feed-rolls 55 56. The guide-rolls 53 54 are fixed on a shaft 57, journaled in arms 58 59, suspended from the brackets 3 and 4, respectively. The paper-feed rolls 55 56 are fixed on a shaft 60, journaled in suitable bearings in the brackets 3 and 4 and under con stant tension tending to rotate it by means of the frictional clutch 61 of the spiral-spring type, (see Fig. 11,) connected with the bevelgear 22 on the clutch 21 by means of the spurgear 62 on the clutch 61 and the spur-gear 63 on the gear 22. The shaft 60, and hence the feed of the paper, is controlled by an escapement-wheel 64, engaged by an escapement lever or arm 65, carried by a rock-shaft 66, journaled in suitable bearings in the brackets 3 and 4 and extending through the bracket 5. The rock-shaft 66 is rocked in a direction to release the escapement-lever and permit the feed of the paper to take place by means of a cam 67 on the shaft 13, which, like the cams 32 and 36, hereinbefore referred to, is provided with projections located diametrically opposite and adapted to come into operative relation to the coacting part twice during a revolution of the shaft 13. The cam 67 engages the lower arm of a vibrating lever 68, pivoted to an arm 69, fixed on the shaft 66, and works idly on said pivot during the several rotary movements of the shaft 13 until the upper arm of said lever 68 is held against a vibrating movement when the said lever 68 fulcrunis at its upper end and swings the arm 69, and so rocks the shaft 66. The rocking of the shaft 66 accomplishes two things, viz: through the arms 70 and 71, connecting the said shaft 66 with a pawl-releasing bar 72, located alongside the ratchet-toothed bar 30 in position to engage a pin 73, eX- tending laterally from the pawl 28, it lifts the pawl 28 out of engagement with the ratchettoothed bar 30 and by means of the pin 74, extending laterally from the pawl 28 beneath the pawl 29, lifts at the same time the ICC pawl 29 out of engagement with the ratchettoothed bar 31 to permit the type-wheel frame and parts carried thereby to return along the shaft 20 into position tobegin a new line, and it also releases the escapement-lever 65 from the escapement-wheel 6a to permit the shaft to rotate one step to feed the paper the distance required for writing a succeeding line. The lever 68 is caused to fulcrum at its upper end by a predeterminedrotary movement of the type-wheel shaft, as follows: On the type-wheel shaft there is fixed a disk or collar 75, provided with a pin 76, extending outward 7 from its periphery and corresponding in its radial position with a certain space on thetypewheel, which may be noted at the sending-station by any suitable character. When, therefore, it is desired to starta new line, thetypewheel shaft would be operated to set this blank space on the type-wheel into position to print, and this would set the pin 76 in position to form a fulcrum for the upper end of the lever 68, and the paper would be fed and type-wheel returned as hereinabove explained.

To prevent any possible, drag or hindrance to the prompt starting of the type-wheel shaft from the position where the pin 76 engages the lever 68, or preferably a pin 77 on thelever 68, the pin 76 is pivotally attached,as at 78, (see Fig. 10,) within aslot 79 in the periphery of the disk or collar 7 5, and a spring 80, engaging a tailpiece 81 on the pin, holds it yieldingly in operative position, so that the disk may begin its rotary movement before the free end of the pin is disengaged from the lever 68, when its momentum will promptly release the pin from the lever without any hindrance and without any material wear and tear.

A retracting-spring 82 returns the escapement-lever to its holding position, and a retracting-spring 83 holds the lever 68 in position to be engaged by its operating-cam and by the fulcrum-pin 76.

The return of the type-wheel frame and parts carried thereby is effected by a springactuated arm 84, pivoted at its lower end to an arm 85, depending from the plate 1 and attached at its upper end by means of a link 86 with a pin 87, projecting from the typewheel frame 26. The spring 88 for actuating the arm 84: is connected at one end to a support 89, depending from the plate 1, and at its opposite end to a lug 90, projecting from the back of the arm 84 and so located that as the arm is swung against the tension of the spring by the step-by-step movement of the typewheel frame the extension of the spring will be modified by the downward travel of the end of the lug 9O reaching its maximum leverage intermediate of the limits of the throw of the arm, thereby preventing the undue strain which might tend to set the spring and impair its usefulness and also keeping the return-pressure on the type-wheel frame moderate throughout its return movement, and so lessening the shock at the finish of the return movement.

The operation as a whole will be readily understoodfrom the foregoing detailed description and may bebriefly stated as'follows: The sender by the manipulation of the sending instrument. (not shown) rotates the typewheel into position-to print the desired character orinto position to present a blank in printing position in the event the printingwheel .isto be returned. The moment the printing-wheel is set the magnet 17 is energized, and the platen presses the paper against the type, and the type-wheel is moved one step along the line. WVhen the line is completed or when it is desired to begin a new line, the printing-Wheel is manipulated in the same manner as when a letter is to be printed,

but to a position which will bring the fulcrum-pin on the printing-wheel shaft into operation, and this will release the pawls from the ratchet-bars and permit the printingwheel to return under the tension of its operating-spring and also permit the paper to be fedaspaceunder the tension of the friction-clutch on its shaft. The single constantlyrotating drive-shaft, with its friction-clutch connections with the cam-shaft, type-wheel shaft, and paper-feed shaft, holds the operative parts at all times under tension tending to operate them when the escapement under the control of the sending instrument will permit it.-

- What I claim is i l 1. In a receiving instrument fora printingtelegraph system, the combination of a rotary, printing-wheel shaft, a rotary paper feed shaft, a rotary cam shaft, a continuouslydriven shaft and friction-clutches, one for each, connecting the said printing-wheel, paper-feed and cam shafts with the continuously-driven shaft.

2; In a receivinginstrument for a printingtelegraph system, the combination of a continuously-driven shaft, a cam-shaft, a frictionclutch connecting the continuouslydriven shaft with the cam-shaft, a printing-wheel shaft, a friction-clutch connecting the continuouslydriven shaft with the printing wheel shaft, a printing-wheel, a pawl-andratchet mechanism for imparting to the printing-wheel a step-by-step movement along its shaft, a cam on the cam-shaft for actuating said pawl-andratchet mechanism, a printingplaten mounted to swing toward and away from the printing-wheel, a cam on the camshaft for operating said platen, a paper-feed mechanism, a cam on the cam-shaft for operating said mechanism, and electric means for controlling the rotary movement of the camshaft.

3. In a receiving instrument for a printingtelegraph system, the combination of a printing-wheel and its shaft, mechanism for returning the printing-wheel along its shaft, a paper-feed shaft, an escapement for controlling the rotary movement of the shaft and means for releasing the printing-wheel-return mechanism and the said escapement, the said releasing means being under the control of the printing-Wheel shaft and the means for determining the rotary movement thereof.

4. In a receiving instrument for a printingtelegraph system, the combination of a paperfeed shaft, an escapement-wheel connected with the shaft, a continuously-driven shaft, a friction-clutch connecting the said shafts, an escapement-lever, a vibrating lever for operating the escapement-lever and means for shifting the fulcrum of the said vibrating lever to release the feed-shaft.

5. In a receiving instrument for a printingtelegraph system, the combination of a paperfeed shaft, an escapement-wheel connected with the shaft, means for actuating the shaft, an escapement-lever, a vibrating lever for operating the escapement-lever and means for shifting the fulcrum of the said vibrating lever to release the feed-shaft.

6. In a receiving instrument for a printingtelegraph system, the combination of a paperfeed shaft, an escapement-wheel connected with the shaft, a type-wheel shaft, means for actuating the shafts, an escapement-lever, a vibrating lever for operating the escapementlever and means connected with the typewheel shaft for shifting the fulcrum of the vibrating lever to release the feed-shaft.

7 In a receiving instrument for a printingtelegraph system, the combination of a typewheel shaft, a type-wheel mounted on the shaft, a pawl-and-ratc'het mechanism for moving the type-wheel step by step along its shaft, a pawl-releasing bar, a vibrating lever for operating the pawl-releasing bar and means connected with the type-wheel shaft for shifting the fulcrum of the vibrating lever for operating the pawl-releasing bar.

8. In a receiving instrument for a printingtelegraph system, the combination of a typewheel shaft, a type-wheel mounted on the shaft, a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism for movveaevs ing the type-wheel step by step along its shaft, a pawl-releasing bar, a paper-feed shaft, an escapement-wheel connected therewith, an escapement-lever, a vibrating lever for operating the escapement-lever and the pawl-releas ing bar and means connected with the typewheel shaft for shifting the fulcrum of the vibrating lever to operate the pawl-releasing bar and the escapement-lever.

9. In a receiving instrument for a printingtelegraph system, the combination of a vibrating lever, means for operating the lever, pawlreleasing means and paper-feed mechanism under the control of the vibrating lever, a type-wheel shaft and a pin carried by the type-Wheel shaft and adapted to engage the vibrating lever to shift the fulcrum of said lever and thereby throw it into active operation.

10. Inareceivinginstrumentforaprintingtelegraph system, the combination of a vibrating lever, means for operating the lever, pawlreleasing means and paper-feed mechanism under the control of the vibrating lever, a type-wheel shaft and a yielding pin carried by the type-wheel shaft and adapted to engage the vibrating lever to shift the fulcrum of said lever and thereby throw it into active operation.

11. In a receiving instrument for a printingtelegraph system, the combination of a printing-wheel and its shaft, means for imparting a step-by-step movement to the wheel along the shaft, means for releasing the printingwheel to permit it to return along the shaft, a swinging arm connected with the type-wheel and an actuating-spring connected with the swinging arm and arranged to reach its maximum leverage at a point intermediate of the limit of the throw of the arm.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of August,

WILLIAM R. LANDFEAR. Witnesses:

F REDK. HAYNES, HENRY THIEME. 

